As a Chef, I always look for new items to try for dinner when food shopping. And this week my grocer was featuring Black Sea Bass that looked too good to pass up.
Black Sea Bass often referred to as Rock Bass is found in the waters of Florida, off the Gulf of Mexico and in the Atlantic all the way up to Maine.
Its flesh is firm and lean, with a mild, delicate flavor. Make sure the uncooked flesh is sparkling white and translucent, not opaque. Remember fresh fish should only smell like the sea, not fishy.
I was pretty sure we would enjoy the sea bass but just to be on the safe side I topped it with jumbo shrimp finished in a lemon scampi sauce (you really can’t go wrong with that topping). The Sea Bass was tender and flaky with a mild sweet flavor, and the lemon butter sauce with those delectable shrimp took the sea bass to the next level!
If you can’t find Black Sea Bass, this topping would work well on any white flaky fish, turning even Tilapia into a memorable meal or even without the fish served over pasta.
Can I use other fish for this dish?
Yes, you can. This lemon scampi sauce can also be made with or without shrimp.
Some of the other fish I would use this sauce with are:
- Flounder
- Cod
- Tilapia
- Mahi-mahi
- Red snapper
or just about any mild white-fleshed fish.
Fish is an excellent source of protein and is a good alternative to red meat. We try to eat fish at least once a week in our house and finding new ways to serve it is always fun. This topping can be used on many of your favorite fish and even chicken, so have fun experimenting.
If you liked this recipe you might also enjoy these fish recipes:
- Blackened Salmon with a Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
- Pan Seared Halibut
- Garlic Ginger Swordfish Recipe
- Grilled Atlantic Rockfish
Black Sea Bass with Shrimp in a Lemon Scampi Sauce
Ingredients
- 12-14 ounces black sea bass fillets
- 6 16-20 count shrimp Peeled and deveined Peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 1 clove garlic – finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice more or less depending upon your likes
- splash of white wine
- 2 ounces vegetable stock
- 1 tablespoon of butter rolled in flour
- ½ teaspoon Italian parsley – finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Place sea bass fillets in a baking pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. add a little water to the pan to help keep the sea bass moist
- Roast Sea Bass for 15-20 minutes
- In a sauté pan add olive oil and chopped garlic, when the garlic starts to cook add the shrimp.
- Turn the shrimp over and add the capers.
- When shrimp are almost fully cooked add a splash of white wine.
- Add stock, lemon juice and butter rolled in flour.
- As the sauce begins to thicken up add chopped parsley, remove from heat and serve over plated Black Sea Bass fillets.
- Garnish with sliced lemon and serve with your favorite sides.
Leslie
Beautiful recipe! There is perfection in simplicity and letting the taste of fresh foods speak for themselves. Bravo!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you Leslie!
Arden ellison
Thank you for these recipes the they taste wonderful
Chef Dennis Littley
Glad you like them! Thank you!
Roger Cichy
Outstanding recipe! Just brought home a black sea bass from off-shore fishing in the south coast waters of Rhode Island. Needed a different recipe to try for my “right out of the water” sea bass. Even my vegan wife had to try a piece!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thanks for the feedback Roger, I’ve very happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Ashley Laykovich
Hi, I’m wanting to make this, but it doesn’t say how much Olive oil in the ingredients. Hoe much do you use? Thanks 🙂
Chef Dennis Littley
just a drizzle Ashley about 1/2 tsp per filet
Pam
What I really love about Chef Dennis’s Black Sea Bass with Shrimp in a Lemon Scampi Sauce is that it uses very little butter 1Tbsp yet it tastes like there is 1/2 cup of butter! This was my first recipe to try from this web site and it was the Best Recipe for fish that I’ve made.
Thank you!
Chef Dennis Littley
Thank you Pam, that’s quite a compliment! I’m happy that enjoyed your first recipe and hope you come back to try many more!
Mary Sullivan Frasier
Lemon, butter, capers and white wine… How could anything be bad, with those ingredients? :~) Looks absolutely delicious, Chef. We don’t always have access to really fresh (ocean) fish up here in the Adirondacks, so I love that it can be served with pasta or rice as well. Thanks!
Chef Dennis
hi Mary
the sauce would be wonderful with chicken too, its really versatile!
PapaLos
Seeing this makes me wish even more that my wife ate seafood. I could almost taste it, it looks so amazing. Thanks for sharing!
Chef Dennis
Thank you, I have friends whose spouses won’t eat seafood and it kills them to be missing out on so many delicious dishes!
Happy Valley Chow
Wow what an elegant dish! Some fantastic flavors, definitely need to try!
Happy Blogging!
Happy Valley Chow
Chef Dennis
Thank you, it was a very delicious meal!
Michael Toa
What an elegant dish Chef! It looks so stunning and I’m sure it’s utterly delicious.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Michael! I hope all is well on your side of the Pond!
Natalie
Yum! Lots of flavor in this recipe, looks amazing.
Chef Dennis
Thank you Natalie!
Kath
What a great combination, Dennis! I love that it’s a simple and easy preparation but it’s festive enough for entertaining!
Chef Dennis
It really is a great dish for entertaining Kath, and won’t take you all night to prepare!
Larry
Oh Wow Dennis, you may not be a big fish eater but your creations always make my mouth water. I am a big fish eater but Bev is not, except for mild white fish, and a lemony caper sauce is our favorite topping. This looks unbelievably good and will be the next fish dish here at Almost Heaven South. Thanks for posting it.
Chef Dennis
Thanks Larry! I think the fact that I’m not a big fish eater is why I make them so tasty!
RavieNomNoms
Oh yum!! I love sea bass and shrimp and lemon! A great dish!
Chef Dennis
Thanks Raven!
Toni | Boulder Locavore
Beautiful, and ‘amen’ on eating local for all your reasons!
Chef Dennis
Thank you Toni!
Jill Colonna
Is it normal to crave this dish before I’ve had breakfast here? This looks and sounds wonderful, with delicate flavours. Fresh like this is fabulous, plus made in 30 minutes is even better!
Chef Dennis
hi Jill
I try to keep everything as simple as possible, especially with entrees, I figure if I don’t have much time when I get home then why should I assume anyone else does…lol
I’m glad you enjoyed my dish and I think as foodies we get to crave any type of food, no matter what time of day it is!
Cheers
Dennis